Table of Contents
Section Four: The First of Seven
Hájí Mírzá Siyyid ‘Alí
Of the three maternal uncles of the Báb, he was the middle in age [hence we referred to him previously as the middle uncle], but the title by which he is known is Khál-i-A’zam [the Most Great Uncle]. 41_ACT11
He was recognized as one of the leading merchants of Shíráz, and highly respected. His own only child, named Javád, died in infancy. He was the uncle who took care of the Báb, after the Báb’s father died, and the first of the three uncles to accept the station of the Báb. When the Báb returned from His pilgrimage to Hijáz and was arrested by Husayn Khán, he was the one who stood as His guarantor. In the period that followed, he constantly and with utter devotion took care of the Báb and His family’s needs. During this period, he also acted as the intermediary between the Báb and the many followers who flocked to Shíráz, and was often the host, with the Báb staying at his place. When the Báb left Shíráz to go to Isfahán, the Báb knowing He would not be seeing His wife and mother again, assigned their care to this beloved uncle.42_ACT11 And it was to this beloved uncle, the Báb, as He bade him farewell in Shíráz, said:
I will again meet you amid the mountains of Adhirbáyján, from whence I will send you forth to obtain the crown of martyrdom. I Myself will follow you, together with one of My loyal disciples, and will join you in the realm of eternity.43_ACT11
He had come to Tihrán after visiting the Báb in Chihríq, in the mountains of Adhirbáyján. Though his friends had repeatedly appealed to him to leave and escape the turmoil that was fast approaching, he had refused. Upon his arrest, a considerable number of the affluent merchants who were his friends offered to pay a ransom for his release, but he refused these offers. When he was finally brought to the Amír-Kabír for his judgement, the Amír-Kabír referring to his noble lineage [the Báb’s family were all siyyids, that is descendants of the Prophet Muhammad] said to him:
[I am] loth to inflict the slightest injury upon the Prophet’s descendants. Eminent merchants of Shíráz and Tihrán are willing, nay eager, to pay your
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